Prayer is one of the greatest blessings we have as Christians, but it should not be used selfishly. Praying for ourselves is good and needed. When teaching on the subject of prayer, Jesus encouraged His disciples to pray for their daily bread (Matthew 6:11). Let us make certain, though, that our prayers are not only about us. When praying, we should always pray for others. Prayers of intercession can do much good.

In 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, Paul revealed a time when he and his companions were in great trouble while preaching in Asia.

2 Corinthians 1:8 (ESV)
⁸ For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself.

We do not know what occasion Paul was referring to here. We know that a great disturbance took place while Paul was preaching at Ephesus. Demetrius, a silversmith, accused Paul of putting the craft of silversmithing in danger. This ultimately caused the people to riot (Acts 19:21-41). Paul, however, was never near danger so it is unlikely that he was referring to that occasion. He may have been referring to the time that he fought with beasts at Ephesus (1 Corinthians 15:32), but, again, we cannot be sure of what he was speaking in that passage. What we do know is that the trouble Paul and his companions were in was so bad that their lives were at risk. They believed they were going to die. Paul wrote, “Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death…” (2 Corinthians 1:9).

Somehow God delivered them from that terrible situation. This gave Paul great confidence that God was with him in his efforts to preach Christ, and that He would deliver him from the danger that he often faced (2 Corinthians 1:10). What teaches us about the power of intercessory prayer is that Paul, who knew a little about the power of prayer, gave the saints at Corinth some of the credit for his deliverance. He knew the power was of God, but he believed that His power was activated by the prayers of his brethren.

2 Corinthians 1:11 (NASB)
¹¹ You also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.

Prayer can change lives, not just our own by praying for ourselves, but the lives of others when we pray for them. No one prayed for others more than Paul. His epistles are littered with references to his prayers for brethren in different places. We too should understand what good we can do by praying for others.

Make a habit of praying for brethren who are sick, either physically or spiritually. Your prayers can make a real difference in their lives. Pray often for your family. It can help them be what God wants them to be. Pray for our government leaders. Most of them are not Christians; thus, they often do not consider the will of God in their decisions, but intercessory prayer can make things happen, even when those being prayed for do not realize it. God has a history of working through those who are not His people (Nebuchadnezzar, Darius, etc.).

When praying, do not forget about the power of intercessory prayer.

As you wind down for the night, think about these things